Wakefield Kirkgate Redevelopment

Well a bit of progress at Kirkgate in that you can now enter and exit through the main entrance again, I know they're still working on it but after all this time and all the money spent it still doesn't exactly feel the most inviting station in the world!

Did laugh how half a train full of kids presumably on half term got off the train thinking they had managed a free ride only to be surprised by Northern revenue protection present at the exit!

The burnt out pub on the corner doesn't exactly enhance the surroundings!

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Quite...
Problem is, that's not the responsibility of the railway. Perhaps the improved station, along with the improved service in the last few years (GC services, the fast Leeds-Sheffield services, the Nottinghams) will drive regeneration of that part of Wakefield. There's already the Hepworth nearby, so perhaps the area is going in the right direction. It has seemed distinctly less threatening on my last few trips. The Wakefield Arms either needs rebuilding or demolishing, the sooner the better whichever.

I called at Kirkgate yesterday to see how things were taking shape... It seems that there is no plan for staffing other than the RPIs in the entrance. Indeed apparently one of the reasons for this is the lack of toilets which means staff can't 'officially' be based there. There is however plumbing in place for facilities to be added later. A ticket machine is due to be put in, but this will be card only for security reasons.
The only thing preventing the place being trashed by the local scallies other than the RPIs will be the tenants of the office and retail units in the refurbished building being able to call police, but given that the problems generally won't take place during office hours I'm doubtful as to how effective this will be. The building itself looks lovely now, but this half-cocked approach to staffing will, I fear, lead to all that investment being undone.

...but sadly the service from Huddersfield to Wakefield Westgate is being withdrawn early on in the new Northern franchise, and replaced by a Huddersfield-Kirkgate-Castleford service. Only the Knottingley train will go through to Westgate then on to Leeds direct. Rail North / Metro support these changes. It's great to see the station environment improving but as others have said the authorities should try and retain it in a decent condition.

...but sadly the service from Huddersfield to Wakefield Westgate is being withdrawn early on in the new Northern franchise, and replaced by a Huddersfield-Kirkgate-Castleford service. Only the Knottingley train will go through to Westgate then on to Leeds direct. Rail North / Metro support these changes. It's great to see the station environment improving but as others have said the authorities should try and retain it in a decent condition.

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I suppose the increased services over the last few years between Huddersfield and Leeds has meant that the connection for Huddersfield to London is not quite so important now, though you still see quite a few London passengers on the Huddersfield to Wakefield service. As long as there's a decent connection for Westgate for those with luggage it won't be too bad. There is the issue of conflicts if the Knottingley service runs to Westgate all day though, and I'm not sure there'll be many through passengers from Huddersfield to Castleford (other than when the two rugby league sides meet!). Extending it through to York wouldn't be unwelcome though!

...but sadly the service from Huddersfield to Wakefield Westgate is being withdrawn early on in the new Northern franchise, and replaced by a Huddersfield-Kirkgate-Castleford service. Only the Knottingley train will go through to Westgate then on to Leeds direct. Rail North / Metro support these changes. It's great to see the station environment improving but as others have said the authorities should try and retain it in a decent condition.

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That is interesting. Currently connections from Castleford towards Huddersfield and Wakefield Westgate are abysmal.

Hopefully with this change, both Castleford and Huddersfield services will connect in with the onward connection to Westgate.

Obvious down side is that there seem to be a lot of people who go from the Hudds direction to Westgate.

I wonder if a bay platform on the down side of Westgate would have allowed both services to proceed to Westgate. Currently trains from Kirkgate can run wrong road into the up platform but still have to cross to the down side to layover.--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

When the Westgate rebuild was being drawn up, the plan at one point was to extend the platforms in the Leeds direction and remove the excess length from the Doncaster end to allow a bay to be constructed on the 'up' side, approximately where the 1960s building was. Not really sure why this wasn't taken forward, probably due to cost. It would have allowed the 'Featherstone Flyer' to be extended to Westgate (and indeed when the route reopened this was always the plan, which is why it currently has a longish turnaround at Kirkgate) giving 2tph linking the two stations.

When the Westgate rebuild was being drawn up, the plan at one point was to extend the platforms in the Leeds direction and remove the excess length from the Doncaster end to allow a bay to be constructed on the 'up' side, approximately where the 1960s building was. Not really sure why this wasn't taken forward, probably due to cost. It would have allowed the 'Featherstone Flyer' to be extended to Westgate (and indeed when the route reopened this was always the plan, which is why it currently has a longish turnaround at Kirkgate) giving 2tph linking the two stations.

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Indeed. Since they've flattened the 1960's building, it would have been timely. I guess it's the cost of signalling as always etc

Short report on Look North last night describing the renovated Wakefield Kirkgate station, largely emphasising the new office space and the station as a stimulant for further commercial development. From the images shown it looked quite attractive.

A spokesman was emphasing the good impact that station renovations have on local business development by pointing to the other developments now starting around Kirkgate.

I was told there are 3 tennants due to move into Kirkgate station 1. a taxi firm's office, 2, a cafe & 3 a photo studio.. The station looks good. A ticket machine is due fitted shortly. As a Dewsbury councillor says it needs a "Friends of Kirkgate Station" setting up to look after the station and put in planters.

When the Westgate rebuild was being drawn up, the plan at one point was to extend the platforms in the Leeds direction and remove the excess length from the Doncaster end to allow a bay to be constructed on the 'up' side, approximately where the 1960s building was. Not really sure why this wasn't taken forward, probably due to cost. It would have allowed the 'Featherstone Flyer' to be extended to Westgate (and indeed when the route reopened this was always the plan, which is why it currently has a longish turnaround at Kirkgate) giving 2tph linking the two stations.

Indeed. Since they've flattened the 1960's building, it would have been timely. I guess it's the cost of signalling as always etc

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As far as I'm aware, nothing built as part of the Wakefield Westgate redevelopment would preclude this bay platform (or even a pair of bay platforms) where the old station building and minicab office were. It may therefore still be an option for when planners are looking at increasing capacity on the Wakefield Line, by removing the many conflicts that laying over trains from Kirkgate can cause.

As far as I'm aware, nothing built as part of the Wakefield Westgate redevelopment would preclude this bay platform (or even a pair of bay platforms) where the old station building and minicab office were. It may therefore still be an option for when planners are looking at increasing capacity on the Wakefield Line, by removing the many conflicts that laying over trains from Kirkgate can cause.

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The Doncaster end of both platforms extend over the bridge over Westgate (the road). A bay platform on either side would require them being shortened at that end and extended towards Leeds to compensate. This would at least mean that the entrance would be closer to the middle of a full-length train. There isn't room to widen the bridge without demolishing buildings.

I can't understand why they've provided a rather nice glass canopy on the Leeds side but only a bus shelter on the far side.

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Especially as most Huddersfield-bound trains reverse in platform 2 rather than 1 now. That shelter predates the refurbishment and only has access from one of the two platforms it's on. I'd hoped it would be replaced with a more modern structure with heating, PIS screens etc.

...but sadly the service from Huddersfield to Wakefield Westgate is being withdrawn early on in the new Northern franchise, and replaced by a Huddersfield-Kirkgate-Castleford service. Only the Knottingley train will go through to Westgate then on to Leeds direct.

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That has always made more sense to me than the current arrangement, must be plenty of people who currently have to go from Streethouse/Featherstone to Pontefract/Wakefield K to then get a connecting train to Leeds. Plus it gives Wakefield W an extra Leeds service.

The connection at Wakefield K for the train to Wakefield W may still be decent for Huddersfield passengers to still go to Wakefield W without having to resort to walking

Surely there is more value in giving two stations that currently dont have a direct service to Leeds a service to Leeds? Wakefield and Hudds maintain their connection, so dont really see any issue here.

First chance I've had to go over today to take a look at the refurbishment and a mixed reaction, I must say. On the whole it's pretty positive, the restoration is pretty good, it looks smart and good, outside looks good with the grassed areas (even if they do need a cut) as do the steps upto the station and the facade looks good with it having a good clean up and some masonry being replaced where it needed it. The windows look good as do the doors. But and there are a few buts, the attention to detail is poor, none more so that in the entrance which looks unfinished up towards the ceiling, in fact its deffo unfinished, the paint work is unimaginative (battleship grey and white) which is already showing marks. At the far end of platform 1 some of the windows haven't been replaced or the door, which is a shame, giving it an unfinished feel and the place looks like it could have done with a good clean, the new canopy is filthy, the window bottoms covered in red brick dust and the entrance area had cobwebs all over it, wouldn't have been hard for someone to whip round with a brush. On the opposite platform there is still vegetation growing out of the brick work too. The benches were left over from the old station, would it have been hard to replace these with some new shiny ones, instead of the red battered ones?

Also where is the ticket office, cafe and toilets? I was under the impression that these were part of the renovation? I noted there was some rooms renovated but empty are these to house the new facilities? Seems a little daft to open the station without any of these promised facilities? On the whole a positive renovation and it looks good aside from the one or two aesthetic issues. Lets hope the ticket office and cafe materialise soon, I was gagging for a cup of tea.

Also where is the ticket office, cafe and toilets? I was under the impression that these were part of the renovation? I noted there was some rooms renovated but empty are these to house the new facilities? Seems a little daft to open the station without any of these promised facilities? On the whole a positive renovation and it looks good aside from the one or two aesthetic issues. Lets hope the ticket office and cafe materialise soon, I was gagging for a cup of tea.

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Has any official statement been made with regards to the ticket office, as surely that is rather more of a priority on a railway station than a cafe?

Has any official statement been made with regards to the ticket office, as surely that is rather more of a priority on a railway station than a cafe?

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I spoke to an RPI there a couple of months back, and apparently there's no plan for the station to be staffed full time, but the mobile RPIs will be a regular feature and a (card only) TVM will be installed if it hasn't already. The retail unit that has been provided will be leased out rather than in railway use. The RPI I spoke to told me that one of the reasons a ticket office wasn't being provided was that if it was they'd need to provide staff facilities, toilets etc, and apparently there wasn't enough money in the budget to do so. A shame, as it would seem to be the ideal location for a Merseyrail style shop/ticket office hybrid. As things are I'm expecting that this time next year it'll have been trashed again if not long before that.

I spoke to an RPI there a couple of months back, and apparently there's no plan for the station to be staffed full time, but the mobile RPIs will be a regular feature and a (card only) TVM will be installed if it hasn't already. The retail unit that has been provided will be leased out rather than in railway use. The RPI I spoke to told me that one of the reasons a ticket office wasn't being provided was that if it was they'd need to provide staff facilities, toilets etc, and apparently there wasn't enough money in the budget to do so. A shame, as it would seem to be the ideal location for a Merseyrail style shop/ticket office hybrid. As things are I'm expecting that this time next year it'll have been trashed again if not long before that.

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I noted that there wasn't a TVM installed today, the sign in the small entrance informed customers to 'buy tickets from the conductor on board'.

When I was having a nosey around, I walked right to the far end of the outside towards the end of platform 1 but on the outside of the station and the very final room had a kitchen in, whether that is for use of one of the function rooms, I don't know but there was deffo a kitchen in there, taps, sink, cupboards full job lot. I also had a nosey in the windows at the opposite end of the station which was set out with tables and chairs covered in table cloths with a table of champagne/wine flutes too, I assume this must be for hire as some kind of function room.

Think you're probably right too, if left unstaffed it will just fall into rack and ruin like before and end up getting trashed, think if they aren't going to staff it with a ticket office then it'll be such a crying shame. The place was quite busy today too with plenty of passengers milling about.